- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup neutral oil (such as grapeseed or canola)
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ lbs Chicken Tenders (or use Chicken Breast Filets, see note)
- Freshly ground black pepper
Toast Panko
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Add the panko and oil to the sheet pan, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, then stir with a fork until evenly moistened. Shake into an even layer. Toast in the oven, stirring with the fork halfway through, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Pick up the parchment and use it to funnel the toasted panko into a shallow bowl or pie plate. Set aside to cool. (Reserve the lined sheet pan.)
Prepare Chicken
In a medium bowl, stir together the honey and mustard. Pat chicken dry. Season with salt and pepper, then add to the honey mustard and toss to combine.
Bread Chicken
Working with one strip at a time and removing dripping honey mustard, add the chicken to the panko mixture and use your fingers to pack the panko onto all sides of the chicken. (To avoid a big mess, designate one wet hand for touching the chicken and one dry hand for pressing in the panko.) Transfer to the lined sheet pan and repeat.
Bake
Transfer to the oven and bake, removing from the oven to flip halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and the panko is browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
Note: If using Chicken Breast Filets, pat dry then pound with a mallet or heavy skillet into an even thickness, about ⅓-inch thick. Slice lengthwise into 1-inch-thick strips. Cut any long strips in half crosswise then proceed with the first step.
